Patents by Inventor David Martin Mills
David Martin Mills has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8409102Abstract: A multi-focus probe that includes a motor communicatively coupled with a lead screw and configured to turn the lead screw about a lengthwise axis of the lead screw, wherein the lead screw includes a length having threads. The probe also includes a lead-screw nut positioned about the lead screw such that the lead-screw nut engages the threads and such that the lead-screw nut and the lead screw can move relative to one another via the threads, a transducer configured to move vertically with the lead screw, and an enclosure surrounding the transducer, wherein the enclosure includes a probe face configured to hold fluid and engage a wave emission target such that waves from the transducer can enter the target.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Weston Blaine Griffin, Douglas Glenn Wildes, David Martin Mills, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Christopher Robert Hazard, Warren Lee, Reinhold Bruestle
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Publication number: 20130060121Abstract: An automated method for detecting a disease state is presented. The method includes identifying a bone surface in one or more image data sets, wherein the one or more data sets correspond to a region of interest in an object of interest. Furthermore, the method includes segmenting a joint capsule region corresponding to the one or more image data sets based on a corresponding identified bone surface. In addition, the method includes analyzing the segmented joint capsule region to identify the disease state. Systems and non-transitory computer readable medium configured to perform the automated method for detecting a disease state are also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2011Publication date: March 7, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Kedar Anil Patwardhan, David Martin Mills
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Publication number: 20120053468Abstract: A multi-focus probe that includes a motor communicatively coupled with a lead screw and configured to turn the lead screw about a lengthwise axis of the lead screw, wherein the lead screw includes a length having threads. The probe also includes a lead-screw nut positioned about the lead screw such that the lead-screw nut engages the threads and such that the lead-screw nut and the lead screw can move relative to one another via the threads, a transducer configured to move vertically with the lead screw, and an enclosure surrounding the transducer, wherein the enclosure includes a probe face configured to hold fluid and engage a wave emission target such that waves from the transducer can enter the target.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2010Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Weston Blaine Griffin, Douglas Glenn Wildes, David Martin Mills, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Christopher Robert Hazard, Warren Lee, Reinhold Bruestle
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Publication number: 20110263980Abstract: A method of guiding a clinician using an image display device associated with an imaging system is disclosed herewith. The method comprises: obtaining patient information along with relevant clinical procedure through a user interface; and selecting a predefined workflow and at least one device setting parameter from an information library. The method further comprises: communicating the selected workflow including the steps in the workflow to the clinician in real time using the image display system, upon initiating the clinical procedure; and configuring the imaging system using the selected device setting parameter to perform the selected workflow.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2010Publication date: October 27, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: David Martin Mills, Aaron Mark Dentinger, Michael Henry Mackin
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Patent number: 7892176Abstract: An ultrasonic monitoring system is formed with a probe unit. In one example an array of transducer cells is arranged in rows and columns formed along a first plane with a first pitch along a first direction. An integrated circuit including an array of circuit cells is formed along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit cells are spaced apart along the first direction at a second pitch smaller than the first pitch. A first of the transducer cells is vertically aligned, along a direction normal to one of the planes, with a first of the circuit cells and having a connection thereto. A second of the transducer cells is offset from vertical alignment with respect to the position of a second circuit cell so as to not overlie the second circuit cell.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, David Martin Mills, Rayette Ann Fisher, Charles Gerard Woychik
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Patent number: 7781238Abstract: A method for making a testable sensor assembly is provided. The method includes forming a first sensor array on a first substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the first sensor array is formed on the first side of the first substrate, coupling a first semiconductor wafer having a first side and a second side to the first sensor array, wherein the first side of the first semiconductor wafer is coupled to the first sensor array, thinning one of the second side of the first substrate or the second side of the first semiconductor wafer, and testing the first sensor array to identify operational and non-operational units in the testable sensor assembly before integration of the sensor assembly with interface electronics.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2007Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Inventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Stacey Joy Kennerly, Wei-Cheng Tian, Kevin Matthew Durocher, David Martin Mills, Charles Gerard Woychik, Lowell Scott Smith
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Patent number: 7621028Abstract: A method for manufacturing an acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer comprises using a user defined center operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer that is at least about 2.9 MHz. A piezoelectric material and a dematching material are joined with an assembly material to form an acoustical connection therebetween. The piezoelectric material has a first acoustical impedance and *at least one of* an associated piezoelectric rugosity (Ra) and piezoelectric waviness (Wa). The dematching material has a second acoustical impedance that is different than the first acoustical impedance and at least one of an associated dematching Ra and dematching Wa. The piezoelectric and dematching materials have an impedance ratio of at least 2. The assembly material has a thickness that is based on the center operating frequency and at least one of the piezoelectric Ra, piezoelectric Wa, dematching Ra and dematching Wa.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2007Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jean-Francois Gelly, David Martin Mills, Frederic Lanteri, Charles Edward Baumgartner, Serge Gerard Calisti
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Publication number: 20090148967Abstract: A method for making a testable sensor assembly is provided. The method includes forming a first sensor array on a first substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein the first sensor array is formed on the first side of the first substrate, coupling a first semiconductor wafer having a first side and a second side to the first sensor array, wherein the first side of the first semiconductor wafer is coupled to the first sensor array, thinning one of the second side of the first substrate or the second side of the first semiconductor wafer, and testing the first sensor array to identify operational and non-operational units in the testable sensor assembly before integration of the sensor assembly with interface electronics.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2007Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Stacey Joy Kennerly, Wei-Cheng Tian, Kevin Matthew Durocher, David Martin Mills, Charles Gerard Woychik, Lowell Scott Smith
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Patent number: 7545012Abstract: A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) cell is presented. The cMUT cell includes a lower electrode. Furthermore, the cMUT cell includes a diaphragm disposed adjacent to the lower electrode such that a gap having a first gap width is formed between the diaphragm and the lower electrode, wherein the diaphragm comprises one of a first epitaxial layer or a first polysilicon layer. In addition, a stress reducing material is disposed in the first epitaxial layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2006Date of Patent: June 9, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lowell Scott Smith, David Martin Mills, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian, John Robert Logan
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Publication number: 20090072668Abstract: A method for manufacturing an acoustical stack for use within an ultrasound transducer comprises using a user defined center operating frequency of an ultrasound transducer that is at least about 2.9 MHz. A piezoelectric material and a dematching material are joined with an assembly material to form an acoustical connection therebetween. The piezoelectric material has a first acoustical impedance and *at least one of* an associated piezoelectric rugosity (Ra) and piezoelectric waviness (Wa). The dematching material has a second acoustical impedance that is different than the first acoustical impedance and at least one of an associated dematching Ra and dematching Wa. The piezoelectric and dematching materials have an impedance ratio of at least 2. The assembly material has a thickness that is based on the center operating frequency and at least one of the piezoelectric Ra, piezoelectric Wa, dematching Ra and dematching Wa.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2007Publication date: March 19, 2009Inventors: Jean-Francois Gelly, David Martin Mills, Frederic Lanteri, Charles Edward Baumgartner, Serge Gerard Calisti
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Publication number: 20080315331Abstract: An ultrasound monitoring system. In one embodiment, an array of transducer cells is formed along a first plane and an integrated circuit structure, formed along a second plane parallel to the first plane, includes an array of circuit cells. A connector provides electrical connections between the array of transducer cells and the array of circuit cells, and an interconnection structure is connected to transfer signals between the circuit cells and processing and control circuitry. The integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of conductive through-die vias formed through the substrate to provide Input/Output (I/O) connections between the transducer cells and the interconnection structure. The monitoring system may be configured as an imaging system and the processing and control circuitry may be external to the probe unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2007Publication date: December 25, 2008Inventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, David Martin Mills, Rayette Ann Fisher, Charles Gerard Woychik
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Patent number: 7451651Abstract: A modular sensor assembly and methods of fabricating a modular sensor assembly are provided. The modular sensor assembly includes a sensor array coupled to an electronics array in a stacked configuration. The sensor array comprises a plurality of sensor modules, each comprising a plurality of sensor sub-arrays. The electronics array comprises a plurality of integrated circuit modules, each comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips. The sensor modules may be coupled to the electronics modules via flip chip technology.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2006Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles Gerard Woychik, Rayette Ann Fisher, David Martin Mills, Scott Cogan, David Richard Esler, Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Jeffrey Scott Erlbaum
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Publication number: 20080273424Abstract: An ultrasonic monitoring system is formed with a probe unit. In one example an array of transducer cells is arranged in rows and columns formed along a first plane with a first pitch along a first direction. An integrated circuit including an array of circuit cells is formed along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The circuit cells are spaced apart along the first direction at a second pitch smaller than the first pitch. A first of the transducer cells is vertically aligned, along a direction normal to one of the planes, with a first of the circuit cells and having a connection thereto. A second of the transducer cells is offset from vertical alignment with respect to the position of a second circuit cell so as to not overlie the second circuit cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2007Publication date: November 6, 2008Inventors: Robert Gideon Wodnicki, David Martin Mills, Rayette Ann Fisher, Charles Gerard Woychik
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Publication number: 20080134793Abstract: A modular sensor assembly and methods of fabricating a modular sensor assembly are provided. The modular sensor assembly includes a sensor array coupled to an electronics array in a stacked configuration. The sensor array comprises a plurality of sensor modules, each comprising a plurality of sensor sub-arrays. The electronics array comprises a plurality of integrated circuit modules, each comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips. The sensor modules may be coupled to the electronics modules via flip chip technology.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2006Publication date: June 12, 2008Inventors: Charles Gerard Woychik, Rayette Ann Fisher, David Martin Mills, Scott Cogan, David Richard Esler, Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Jeffrey Scott Erlbaum
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Publication number: 20080125658Abstract: A transducer assembly is presented. The transducer assembly includes an acoustic layer having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side. Furthermore, the transducer assembly includes at least one matching layer disposed on the first side of the acoustic layer. Additionally, the transducer assembly includes a dematching layer disposed on the second side of the acoustic layer, where the dematching layer has an acoustic impedance greater than an acoustic impedance of the acoustic layer, and where the transducer assembly does not include a backing layer that is highly attenuative.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2006Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventors: Warren Lee, Douglass Glenn Wildes, David Martin Mills
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Patent number: 7353056Abstract: The reconfigurable ultrasound array disclosed herein is one that allows groups of subelements to be connected together dynamically so that the shape of the resulting element can be made to match the shape of the wave front. This can lead to improved performance and/or reduced channel count. Reconfigurability can be achieved using a switching network. A methodology and an algorithm are disclosed that allows the performance of this switching network to be improved by properly choosing the configuration of the switching network.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2004Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher Robert Hazard, Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Rayette Ann Fisher, Kai E. Thomenius, Lowell Scott Smith, David Martin Mills
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Patent number: 7293462Abstract: A device comprising an array of sensors and a multiplicity of bus lines, each sensor being electrically connected to a respective bus line and comprising a respective multiplicity of groups of micromachined sensor cells, the sensor cell groups of a particular sensor being electrically coupled to each other via the bus line to which that sensor is connected, each sensor cell group comprising a respective multiplicity of micromachined sensor cells that are electrically interconnected to each other and not switchably disconnectable from each other, the device further comprising means for isolating any one of the sensor cell groups from its associated bus line and in response to any one of the micromachined sensor cells of that sensor cell group being short-circuited to ground. In one implementation, the isolating means comprise a multiplicity of fuses.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2005Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Warren Lee, David Martin Mills, Glenn Scott Claydon, Kenneth Wayne Rigby, Wei-Cheng Tian, Ye-Ming Li, Jie Sun, Lowell Scott Smith, Stanley Chienwu Chu, Sam Yie-Sum Wong, Hyon-Jin Kwon
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Patent number: 7280435Abstract: A device comprising an array of sensors that are reconfigurable by means of a switching network. The sensors may be optical, thermal or pressure sensors or ultrasonic transducers.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2004Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kai Erik Thomenius, Rayette Ann Fisher, Robert Gideon Wodnicki, Christopher Robert Hazard, Lowell Scott Smith, David Martin Mills
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Patent number: 7037746Abstract: A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) cell is presented. The cMUT cell includes a lower electrode. Furthermore, the cMUT cell includes a diaphragm disposed adjacent to the lower electrode such that a gap having a first gap width is formed between the diaphragm and the lower electrode, wherein the diaphragm comprises one of a first epitaxial layer or a first polysilicon layer. In addition, a stress reducing material is disposed in the first epitaxial layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lowell Scott Smith, David Martin Mills, Jeffrey Bernard Fortin, Wei-Cheng Tian, John Robert Logan
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Publication number: 20040190377Abstract: A device comprising an array of sensors built on or in a substrate with a semiconducting surface and means for isolating each sensor element from its neighbors. In the case where the sensors are ultrasonic transducer elements, acoustic isolation is provided in the form of trenches between neighboring transducer elements to reduce acoustic crosstalk. The trenches may be filled with acoustically attenuative material. Electrical isolation in the form of semiconductive junctions is provided between neighboring transducer elements to reduce electrical crosstalk. In one example, back-to-back pn junction diodes are formed by ion implantation in zones located between neighboring transducer elements. These types of isolation can be employed alone or together.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Inventors: Robert Stephen Lewandowski, Lowell Scott Smith, Charles Edward Baumgartner, David Martin Mills, Douglas Glenn Wildes, Rayette Ann Fisher, George Charles Sogoian